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Friday challenge for Monarch in Irish Derby second round draw

Aug 9, 2026 • 2 min read

BOUNCING MONARCH, joint-fastest in the opening round of the BOYLE Sports Irish Derby, is in Friday action in round two of the €125,000 Classic over 550 yards at Shelbourne Park (live on sisracing.tv).

Michael O'Donovan's star faces two fellow heat winners in the finale of the first night of second round action in the shape of Firstpastthepost and Singalong Cherry.

Laurence Jones' Sleight Of Hand, who matched Bouncing Monarch's 29.10sec winning time, goes in Saturday's heat 12 where fellow heat winners Amidus Hulk and Ballyhooly Cliff lie in wait.

Race of the round is perhaps Saturday's heat 11 which has a quartet of heat winners in Liam Dowling's Ballymac Kamala and Ballymac Gwennie plus O'Donovan's Hackney Dancer, who is joined by Dundalk International winning kennelmate Ballycowen Frank looking to reverse form with the fourth heat winner, Denise Ryan's Oriental King.

Heat two on Friday sees a rematch between Solo And Go and Lennies Dynamic after just three-parts of a length separated them in the fastest of the opening batch of first round eliminators, while 2024 champion Bockos Diamond looks to have fared well when kicking off Saturday proceedings in heat 9.

There were 68 inside seeds, 14 middle seeds and 14 wide seeds in the draw with four seeding changes.

Both Skywalker Bruno and Droopys Faithful are now inside seeds (from middle), while Razldazl Loreal and Blastoff Heffo have moved the opposite way and are now middle seeds (from inside).